BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. — (Scroll Down For Videos) — Officials have released video of three inmates who crawled out of a window at the Berkeley County jail and were on the loose for a brief time on Saturday.
Three inmates that were being housed at the Hill-Finklea Detention Center located at 300 California Avenue decided to escape, Saturday. Michael Andrew Hutto (29), Eric Evander Garner (41), and Thomas Matthew Davidson (33) were being held in a temporary holding cell at the Detention Center. This cell is used to hold inmates before they are processed. The cell faces the front of the jail and towards many streets.
Typically, the holding cell only holds six inmates, but due to overcrowding fifteen inmates were being held there. One inmate took it upon himself to kick out the window of the cell and Hutto, Garner, and Davidson were able to exit the cell.
Once the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office was alerted (within minutes) to the escape, we notified Moncks Corner Police Department, Goose Creek Police Department, Hanahan Police Department, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, SLED, SC Highway Patrol, and SCDNR to assist with the capturing of the escaped inmates. The initial call was received just after 11:30 a.m.
Hutto was captured quickly after leaving the jail on foot. Garner was captured within one hour. Davidson was captured within two hours.
All three inmates were transported back to the Hill-Finklea Detention Center. They are all being held in isolation.
